Xendrik's Mansion
Xendrik's Mansion is a place in Sakhmet that was introduced as part of a series of plots in Lost Desert. Apparently, the ancient Xendrik mansion was re-opened to the public as part of a tour. Sakhmet Shops If you visit any of the shops in Sakhmet, you will get a popup from the shopkeeper asking you a question. If you answer correctly, you'll be allowed to shop. :Peopatra's Petpets: No, I am not. :Lost Desert Foods: 500 :Osiri's Pottery: 1,122 NP :Sakhmet Battle Supplies: Here you go :Sutek's Scrolls: Not from Qasala :Lost Desert Medicine: No, I am not Story The common theme in these conversations seems to be trouble brewing with Qasala and Sakhmet. Perhaps these articles in The Lost Desert Daily can shed some light on the matter... The Great Lost Desert Crisis Aymas Xendrik was enjoying a scrumptious meal in his council room when one of his guards barges in uninvited to hand him something with King Jazan's seal on it. A Few Days Later, Queen Nabile was waiting for Xendrik in her meeting chambers. She and and the King were planning to meet him together, but Xendrik failed to show up on time, and the wait was visibly upsetting the King. Realizing that the meeting could quickly go downhill, Nabile insisted that Jazan see to other matters while she dealt with the Warden herself. However, Xendrik is unusually late, and the Queen is growing more and more restless with each passing moment. She has every intention of storming out of the room in a fit of rage and cancelling the meeting but the issue at hand is too big to be ignored. The people of the land are angry and seek a resolution. The Queen regrets entrusting Xendrik with this responsibility but more than that, she regrets not trusting her informants about his antics. The door creaks open and a flustered Xendrik walks in, followed by two of his guards. His strides are urgent. He salutes the Queen smartly and launches into his report before she has the chance to question him. He informs her that a few new demonstrations have been reported from Sakhmet in the last 24 hours but things are under control now. He also informs her that his guards have nabbed a few Neopets who are the supposed leaders of these demonstrations and are questioning them in custody currently. He looks set to carry on in this vein but Nabile raises her hand, gesturing him to stop. She informs him that desert may be corrupted by an official who is loafing around, but Xendrik tells her that official is not him. Nabile then fixes him with a stern glare, signaling that she doesn't appreciate being interrupted. She says, "I have also heard that under him, the men who have been specifically employed to keep the peace have allowed the city of Sakhmet to plunge into utter chaos. Now I hear that even the Trade Union of the city has decided to stop trading with my people." They think of ways to punish the one responsible. She asks, "Should we strip him of his uniform and his powers? Lock him up?" "My Lady, give me a chance to explain myself," he pleaded. "It isn't what you think." She flagrantly states, "The tension between our cities has gone on for far too long. It's all over the newspapers. I won't have any of it anymore. Tell your men to get things under control now." The reason Xendrik was not doing anything during the tension between the two cities is because he had been thinking up a solution that is sure to sweeten sentiments. "That sounds promising. But I have just one question: should I trust you again?" "You have always been just and generous. Just give me one more chance to prove my loyalty. My family is pitching in to make this a success. I promise I won't disappoint you." He trailed off. As the unrest grew and grew, the people of Sakhmet enacted a coup against Princess Amira. Although General Dacon then barged in at lightning speed, time has made some of his movements stiff and painful, but his senses are still as sharp as ever. Especially when it comes to worrying about the safety of his Queen Amira. Then, General Aharoon, the new commander of the city’s armed forces, walks in. Queen Amira is staring blankly outside the only open window in the room. Days have started to blur and merge with each other. She turns to look at the generals, who seem to be staring at her. The generals came to ask the Queen for the royal hidden treasury. "Give us any keys we might need to access it and we will leave you to your day dreams." Amira tries to keep a calm composure. She doesn’t want an arrogant and disloyal member of her own army to see the turmoil his words have caused her: the uprising, the house arrest, and from the very little that she has been hearing lately, the atrocities that the soldiers are committing on the people of Sakhmet. Queen Amira: I don’t think I understand what you mean. General Aharoon: Oh, I think you do, Queen Amira. I think you do very well. Let’s not play these games. Let’s make it easy for the both of us. Queen Amira: What you are asking for is imaginary. General Aharoon: Forgive me for bringing this up, but you do realise the consequences of denying my request my Queen? Queen Amira: You mean you will choose violence like you are doing outside the palace? General Aharoon: So news does travel, even through top-notch security! I don’t want to brag but you will find that my ways are rather effective. Do you want a taste of them? General Dacon: Careful, Queen Amira is still your Queen. General Aharoon: I am running out of patience here. Just give me the keys and tell me the way to the treasury. NOW! Queen Amira: Or else what? Do as you please and so will I. General Aharoon: Very well. General Dacon! As your new commander, I order you to arrest the Queen! General Dacon: I don’t take or- General Aharoon: Times have moved on, old guy. You are no longer the commander of the city’s armed forces. You are talking to the one who is! Now, either you do it or my soldiers will arrest you both and put you in the cells. General Dacon looks at Amira and then at the four soldiers of the Queen’s personal guard that await his command. He feels like it was only yesterday that he would have had his whole army leap to his defense when threatened by a usurper like this and now, all he has left are these four and even they don’t look sure. He then looks at General Aharoon and feels anger rising from every fiber in his being. Not for the first time that day, he finds himself longing for the fabled Blaze. Though he has heard stories about how it was stolen from the family ever since he could remember, recently, he has found himself thinking about the sword more and more often. When he snaps out of his reverie, Dacon finds everyone looking at him and awaiting his decision. He takes a deep breath and nods at the personal guards; at once the four of them move in towards Amira and circle her. Dacon follows them. General Aharoon: Smart move, Dacon. General Dacon takes a step towards Amira and the new commander relaxes his stance. In an unexpected display of speed and agility, General Dacon leaps at General Aharoon and his soldiers. General Dacon’s men are close at heel, mounting a surprise attack on the visiting soldiers of the Sakhmet army. A duel ensues and after what seems like a long time, General Dacon and his soldiers succeed in throwing the others out of the palace gates and bolt them safe from inside. Amira looks stunned. General Dacon: Go to your rooms, Queen Amira. The new commander will be back soon and with a much larger force at his disposal too. I have some things to do before that. Queen Amira: What things? General Dacon: It’s a long shot but I haven’t got any other recourse left. General Dacon orders one of the guards to bring the palace magician to him at once. He needs him to send two messages outside. One to a close member of the Queen’s family and the other to a crook… Lyra and the Lost Heirloom The plot has ended. Chapter 1 It was up to Lyra to resolve the tension between the two cities. She struggled to scale the high walls of Sakhmet to try to talk it out with the citizens. The edges were smooth, there were few handholds, and her backpack continued to weigh her down. She would've chosen a secluded area for her escape, but a short distance away, a young thief was taking in the proceedings with a half-smirk etched on his face. A bejeweled scimitar shifted out of her backpack and knocked her neck, causing Lyra to fall awkwardly on her tail; Aurrick couldn't hide his laughter any more. As a result, Lyra became very frustrated. Memories of the endless training sessions, the cold greetings of dignitaries, and the cruelty of her father rushed back to haunt her in that moment. She drew the scimitar and pointed it at Aurrick. She then lost her balance and fell backwards onto her behind once more. The scimitar dropped pathetically onto the ground next to her. Aurrick held out his hand to help her up, but Lyra was uninterested in roadside loiterers. She then dusted herself off and hastily stuffed the scimitar in her bag before he could get a good look. Aurrick then asked, "You’re a 'big time heister'? If so, then is stealing the Xendrik scimitar part of the plan or have you just borrowed it for a while?" Turns out that she did steal it from her family's mansion. Lyra then became acquainted with the Krawk. "Just don’t hand me in. Thieves' honor, right?" He exclaimed, "You think thieves have honor? It's worse than I thought. You stole your daddy's precious family heirloom!" She threatened him. "If you don't keep quiet, you're going to be eating my father's precious family heirloom." Aurrick always wanted to steal it for vengeance over Aymas for imprisoning his contemporaries. Chapter 2 Aurrick led Lyra up the shabby wall. There were decrepit holes that looked like perfect stepping stones. He still had no trouble going up the wall while Lyra slogged behind. She concentrated hard but slipped again on account of her backpack was shifting from left to right, so it was difficult to keep her balance. Aurrick then requested Lyra to give her the weighty scimitar. He got a closer look at it, letting out a low whistle of appreciation. She sniped, "Keep your eyes in your head, toothy." Chapter 3 Lyra climbed the wall a lot faster but froze when she heard footsteps and voices on the other side of the wall. She looked at Aurrick and begged for understanding. He hid the scimitar behind his back and brought out his winning smile. They were the soldiers of the desert. One them requested, "You there! We're looking for the Warden of the Lost Desert, Aymas Xendrik. Do you know where he lives?" Aurrick answered, "It's all the way on the other side of the city near the back gates. Haven't you got a map or something? And from what I hear about Xendrik, he doesn't like his guests to be late." The soldiers looked at each other and hurried off in the other direction. Once they were out of earshot, Aurrick gave Lyra the 'all clear' and she made it to the top of the wall. Chapter 4 Aurrick's advice really worked. "Go figure. He marches his men at the crack of dawn every day. Speaking of which, those definitely weren’t his men." His "men" are Qasalan soldiers. "Does your dear father have plans for you?" Lyra snipes, "It’s a long story and none of your business." "So where to now?" "I have my own plan. Step one is knocking you off this wall if you ask any more questions." Aurrick knows the desert very well, so he requests Lyra to guide her to the river. "I'm just saying it's dangerous. There are strange mirages, thieves, sandstorms..." "No! Listen, I... I thank you for the offer and helping me out back there. But I don't need anyone's help. I've been living off family and befriending idiots my entire life and it's time to make a change. No offense." "Why does everyone think saying 'no offense' means there's none taken?" She jumps off. A few minutes later, a hushed voice calls out to Aurrick from inside the city limits as he sits atop the wall, watching Lyra’s progress. It's the shady merchant. "You there. Pssst. I have been hearing about a young thief who can steal absolutely anything. Perchance, you know where I could find him?" "Not to be immodest or anything, but it looks like this is your lucky day. You happen to be talking to just the guy! But wait, why do you ask?" "Because I might have a task for you… One that involves quite a bit of gold, I can assure you of that." It is tempting, but Aurrick refuses to come down. As the merchant signals Aurrick to climb down, he grabs him by his shoulder and whispers in his ears. Aurrick’s eyes open wide as he takes it in. "It’s a lot of money. Think of all the things you can do with it. Maybe finally travel outside of the Lost Desert. You know you want to. You want to see someone desperately, don’t you? It’s been what, 10 years now?" '"Hey, how did you know that?" "Do we have a deal then?" "Well, you know what? It’s a deal!" Chapter 5 Lyra climbed down on the other side. She had never been outside the city in her life but stepped out into the vast emptiness without a second glance. In her zeal, she lost all sense of time and direction. It didn't take long for her to get tired and confused. Her brisk walk turned to a trudge and once more the weight of her backpack seemed to take its toll. Aurrick still sat on the city wall watching her lack of progress and planning his next move. He'd considered leaving several times. She then begins to hallucinate due to the extreme heat. "Hang on, wasn't this shrub to my left a while back? Or was it a different one? Oooh, an oasis! No…wait. I should have brought a flask of water. Stupid!" "How tired would you have to get to start talking to yourself? Although I have to admit that watching you walk in circles was pretty funny the first few times." "... I'm going to Altador. I don’t suppose you know the way?" Before Aurrick could answer, the main gates of Sakhmet opened. In the distance, Aurrick and Lyra could hear a commotion. As they looked back, she could see her father, Aymas Xendrik. Lyra grabbed Aurrick's arm with remarkable strength, dragging him into a sprint and headed for the closest sand dune. They leaped off the precipice but as they slid down, Lyra felt the scimitar slide out of her backpack, making her run back up to heave it out of the sand. It gleamed under the harsh sun. At the main gates, Aymas caught a glimpse of something. There was a shimmer of light on the far side of the steep sand dunes. It was probably a patch of glass or the like but he was never one to take chances. Lyra slid back down the dune with the scimitar in hand and Aurrick led the way. Only later did they realize that they'd been spotted. After a while, the duo approached the Ruins of Thanyros. Pink and orange hues of dusk painted the crumbling structures. There were winding alleys and crisscrossing paths throughout the ruins. Aurrick led Lyra through the alleys with the soldiers close behind. "Didn't we go past this just a while back?" Lyra asked. "We need to cover our tracks. Very few people in Sakhmet know their way through the ruins. Trust me; those soldiers will be chasing their tails for hours." Aurrick said. Chapter 6 The sun set and the two companions looked for a place to take shelter for the night. They made their way to the nearest Gebmid. Aurrick lit a campfire while Lyra caught her breath. She'd been powered by adrenaline so far but now, the day's journey was taking its toll. 'You've been fumbling and falling all day. All those tall tales about the Warden’s daughter being a warrior prodigy but if it weren't for me; you'd still be in Sakhmet. I think I, at least, deserve a good story out of all this." Lyra was to go to the Qasalan training school so that she could learn about the famous Qasalan battle tactics from the generals and come back to help the Sakhmet army with them to appease the people and bring peace to the city. She holds the scimitar not to further her father's ambitions. "Never! I will not be a pawn in his grand designs. I will not be sent as a gesture of trust. That’s all the truth you need to know." This enchanted blade protects the one who wields it. It is hot enough to burn its enemies and cold enough to cut through any obstacle they might throw at you. "My father claims he knows someone who has seen this thing on fire. You should see his face when he proudly shows it off to any foreign dignitary willing to amuse him. It has been in the family for generations. It has won wars. Yes, it’s heavy and ridiculous, but believe me, the lost heirloom will hurt him much more than anything I do ever could." "You have an ice-cold heart and are not the sentimental fool I took you for. I like it!" "I am glad I surprise you. Wait; are you the sentimental fool here? Anything you want bad but cannot have?" For a moment, Aurrick's smile wavered. He looked past the campfire and even past Lyra before recovering that winning smirk. "You ask too many questions." Lyra couldn't help but laugh. "So, Altador, huh? It shouldn’t take us more than a few days." "We should leave at sunrise. Low light means we can find our way but we won't stick out." "I truly appreciate what you have done for me today but if the soldiers catch you, they might think you kidnapped me. My father knows how to give out cruel punishments." "Ooh, scary! But trust me, they won’t catch me." Aurrick then took off the bracelet from the merchant he stole his first bag of bulgur grain from. "I got into a lot of trouble for it. I was tiny and easy to pick out of a crowd. But it taught me a lesson that no amount of formal training can. Here, you can have it. Live to run another day, princess. Remember that." Lyra wrapped the bracelet around her wrist and gave Aurrick a playful punch on the arm. She said, "For a thief, you’re not so bad." Later that night as the fire reached its embers, the two picked their spots inside the Gebmid to sleep. Lyra fell asleep almost immediately but Aurrick couldn't. He held that same expression he'd had back when Lyra caught him in a moment of longing. He ached for something although he'd done his best to forget it. He walked past the sleeping Lyra and stared down at the Xendrik scimitar. For a moment, the embellished gems seemed to look back at him. He stood there and his thoughts fought each other for what felt like an eternity. Lyra snorted and it startled Aurrick out of his reverie. Lyra spoke in her sleep. "I never want to see you again, father." Aurrick wrapped his claw around the hilt of that clunky piece of scrap and ran out into the morning light. When Lyra woke up, she turned to where Aurrick was but there was no sign of him. She bolted upright and her hand reached instinctively for her bag as if it knew what had happened. She threw her bag against the wall and yelled until her voice gave out. Some time passed and she gathered what possessions she had left. The sun had almost risen, and she didn't have any more time to waste. She ran out. Chapter 7 She didn’t get far, though. Outside the Gebmid, she found herself surrounded by the Qasalan soldiers she had met the day before. Her father stood behind them. He held his arms behind his back and gave her that look of disappointment that she'd grown to hate with ever hair on her body. She looked beyond them and far in the distance, she saw the snaking river. The soldier moved in and Lyra took that defensive stance that she'd learned from all those months in training. She was unarmed but she was far from caught. As one soldier rushed at her, she ducked and swiped a small, skinny sword from his belt. It was trim and balanced. With a smooth trained motion, she knocked him out with the hilt. Another soldier came at her from behind with a sword raised but she spun aside and swiped it away with the grace and balance of a precision dancer. Before the rest of the soldiers could try their hands, Lyra rushed through the gap the guard had made in the circle and charged straight for the river. The soldiers chased but their clunky armor weighed them down in the sand. Lyra moved over it like a breeze and kept her balance as she climbed and slid over the dunes. She made it to the river and looked back at the soldiers who were too tired or too stuck to make it the rest of the way. She looked at the river and the distant boats that were edging their way in her direction. She got caught mid-laugh when she noticed her father had double backed and was approaching over the firmer ground of the river bank. She tried to quicken her pace but her father was faster than she was. He caught up to her and drew his sword. Chapter 8 He scowled, "So much expensive schooling and yet, you require lessons." "I'm done with your lessons, father. And I'm done with you." Lyra blocked her father's first strike but didn't anticipate the back-swing as he came full circle into a second blow. She managed to block it just in time but the weight pushed her off balance. Again and again, her father delivered swipes, slashes and hits. It came from overhand, underhand, in twos, and threes. Lyra blocked and parried. She threw up dust and spun around the palm trees that grew on the bank but she was tiring and she knew she couldn't keep up for much longer. Lyra diverted her father's attacks to back herself into the sturdiest tree she could see and with the last of her strength, she hurled the small sword at him. Aymas simply moved his stance and allowed the blade to clank harmlessly off his armor. Lyra used this momentary halt of attacks to leap up the tree and climb as high as she could. Aymas slashed at her tail but only caught a few strands of fur. Lyra caught her breath while her father placed his hand on the trunk. He knocked, and listened and checked for weaknesses. "Do you plan to carry on with this nonsense? It's really quite undignified. Very shabby." "I like shabby!" "We both know there’s nowhere left to run, my dear child." "I'd rather rot here in the sun than go anywhere with you." "Have it your way then." Aymas looked like he was about to turn around but instead he delivered a furious full-throat roar and hacked the tree trunk with all of his strength. The trunk was thick but that first blow took a massive chunk out of it. He wound up for another blow and Lyra held on to the trunk with both arms. The tree shook and swung and Lyra desperately held on. The tree relented under the blows. Lyra caught sight of the boats. They were centered in the middle of the river and there was no way she'd catch up with them if she swam. She threw off her backpack and her father could see the idea she'd had. She hesitated on the edge of the branch. "You'll never make it. You have no gold, no friends, and no skills. You're nothing without me!" "Oh, get over yourself, princess!" Aymas swung one final time and Lyra jumped. Chapter 9 That second seemed to last an hour for Lyra. She could feel a gush of air behind her as the tree toppled to the ground. She saw herself falling short of the boat's deck so she closed her eyes. Instinctively, she reached out with her hands and flailed at the empty space in front of her. She landed in water with a big splash but felt her fingers grab on to something. She opened her eyes to see that she had caught the anchor rope that stuck out halfway between the boat's deck and keel. She turned to look at her father but with water in her eyes, she couldn't read his expression. He seemed to be holding his sword limply at his side and could only watch as she drifted further away. Lyra climbed up to the deck and greeted the very startled Captain. "Where are you headed?" She said, "Take me as far away from here as you are going." The Captain shrugged and returned to the wheel. Lyra sat behind the prow of the ship and fiddled with the bracelet around her wrist. The ship sailed on down the endless winding river. "Live to run another day." Lyra continued to indulge in her reverie when the Captain came running over. "Why are they following you?" The Captain pointed to a small boat behind them. Lyra had to strain to see who was aboard it. She couldn’t see clearly but saw enough to know that her father hadn't given up on her yet. Whatever she had done must have cost him a lot. Much more than she had anticipated. She panicked, "Quick! We must get to safety somehow." "I may not be from around these parts but I can tell that the people following you are people of authority. I don't want to end up on the wrong side of the law." "Please help me! You have to! You have no idea what my father will do when he fin-" "Hang on, that’s Aymas Xendrik? The cruel warden? Well, then. We aren’t too far away from a safe place that I know of. Follow me, I need you to help me maneuver the boat." Chapter 10 Dacon pulls out a bunch of keys from his pocket. By the dim light of the waning crescent moon, he struggles to find the right key from the bunch. He then puts it in the lock to open the secret door to the Sakhmet palace from outside. He realizes that his hands are shaking and closes his eyes and takes a deep breath to steady himself. On his back lies the heavy weight of what he has done. He opens his eyes and tries to unlock the door once more. And yet again, he feels the tremors through his entire body, radiating from the ground underneath. He looks around but all he can see is the stillness of the desert night. He knows. He knows this calm is an illusion. The tremors increase steadily. The silence of the night is deafening. Suddenly, the main gates of the city burst open. Dacon drops to his knees, both in relief and an inexplicable other emotion. She did it! Princess Vyssa got the message he sent through the magician and managed to convince King Jazan to send in reinforcements! In the distance, Dacon sees the Qasalan monarch ride into Sakhmet followed by his army. Lamps are lit in the houses and the slumbering city wakes up to a nightmare. Silhouettes of soldiers scampering for their armor make it clear that they have been caught unawares. Dacon gets back up on his feet. He feels hope spring inside him. He lets out a long, loud cry from deep inside and in one swell move, he draws out the smuggled sword that he has been carrying on his back. He has waited for this moment since he was young and now, the time has come. He runs towards the scene of battle. Finally back in the hands of its rightful owner, the sword lights up. The Blaze is on fire! Epilogue The location of the Sakhmet treasury is known only to the rulers and their closest aides, and Amira did not want to allow the leader of the coup access to it. Dacon had returned to the palace with the Blaze, having received it from the Ruki, the palace magician. The weapon had been missing from his family for generations, and the later ones weren’t sure what it looked like. It wasn’t easy to conclude that it was the same as another well-known weapon. The Merchant Ruki has a mysterious way of knowing things others don’t. Dacon really needed some extra help in his situation, and the Blaze certainly counted as just that. Vyssa was traveling - with her sister ruling the land, she is free to explore the world outside her city, and she often does so. And Lyra does escape her father. What happens after that...well... you will have to play Legends and Letters to find out. About the Xendrik Family The Xendriks are one of the oldest surviving aristocratic families of the Lost Desert. The Xendrik Mansion, as we know it today, was built by Qahaar Xendrik II on the site of an old palatial home that belonged to the same family. The current master of the mansion is Aymas Xendrik, the great grandson of Qahaar, who is also the Warden of the Lost Desert. As the Warden, Aymas maintains close cordial relations with both the royal families of Sakhmet and Qasala. Qahaar Xendrik II was the nephew of Narmeer Xendrik. It was during Narmeer’s time that the family fell on hard times. The Xendriks lost the goodwill they enjoyed in the land and their relationship with the royal families too came under the scanner. Traditionally, the Xendriks had always been entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in Sakhmet but due to many discrepancies getting uncovered in reports and speculations of the main officers being corrupt, discord sprang up in the city. The locals demanded the ouster of the corrupt officials. Narmeer’s popularity with the people was marred by his inaction on the matter, leading to a rebellion. Eventually, it was his nephew, Qahaar, who crushed the rising discord by convincing his uncle to step down and firing his council members. Qahaar became the first Xendrik to be made the Warden of the Lost Desert. Ever since, his line of the family has continued to oversee the safety and security of the people of the desert. The current family residing in the Xendrik Mansion is headed by Aymas Xendrik. Aymas was a fearsome warrior in his prime and was renowned for his battle techniques all around Neopia. Early in his life as a warrior, Xendrik lost half of his left wing in battle. What would have been a deterrent for most was turned on its head by the indomitable Aymas who has been known to be even more formidable post the accident. Apart from being exceptionally skillful on the battle field, Aymas is also known for his sharp acumen and cunning, making him one of the most successful Xendriks of all times. Aymas’s wife, Leila, is a descendant of the Naharoo family of Qasala. She is a woman of few words and likes to keep to herself. Aymas and Leila are succeeded by their daughter, Lyra, who is training to be a warrior. Among other things, Aymas inherited the great Xendrik scimitar which has been in the family for many generations. The exact origins of the sword are debatable and so is the name of the Xendrik who first wielded it. It is said to be made of foreign steel and is rumored to cut through stone. After Aymas inherited it, it has occupied a place of pride in the mansion as a prized family heirloom. The sapphire ring is the other prized heirloom of the Xendrik family. This too has been in the family for many generations. The ring is made of a large uncut sapphire which is set in a band of pure white gold. Legend has it that the precious stone was recovered from the depths of the sea in the north especially to be made into a ring for the Xendrik family. The Desert Jewel The Desert Jewel was an NC event that lasted from December 12th, 2018 to February 18th, 2019. The Shady Merchant set up a shop and offered NC items in exchange for bejeweled caskets. He stated that enough people know of the wonders of his shop. Each casket awards two items: one is an exclusive item to this event, and the second either a re-release of an existing NC item or a second exclusive item. Mini-Games Ruins of Thanyros Lyra got herself lost in the Ruins of Thanyros after Aurrick went on ahead by himself. The goal in this event step was to guide Lyra through the ruins to the exit. Lyra's Escape Lyra's trying to escape her father on a boat, but needs help steering it through the waters of the Lost Desert. Although the game's tutorial encouraged players to click to change your position in the river, keyboard arrow controls also worked. In addition, the speed of the river changed during the game, speeding up or slowing down. During the game there were several things to pick up: *Gold coins (worth 1 point) and red coins (worth 5 points) to increase your score. *Bubbles act as a shield should you accidentally hit an obstacle. *A Zumagorn to temporarily increase your speed and make you invincible. Achievements *Join the Journey - Go to this page. Doing so will award you with a new site theme! *Keeping Up with the Xendriks - Can't get enough of the Xendriks and their shenanigans, can you? (Read any 10 chapter updates on the day of release.) *Just in Time - Complete the Ruins of Thanyros in 25 seconds or less. *In One Fell Swoop - Find all the coins in one Ruins of Thanyros session. *Surprise, Surprise! - Collect all the hidden scarabs in the Ruins of Thanyros. *Fast Track - Find the shortest route out of the ruins while moving only 5 doors or less. *Long Lasting - Play Lyra's Escape for 5 minutes. *Smooth Sailing - End Lyra's Escape when you successfully dodge 400 obstacles. (After this, the game will instead end when you dodge 200 obstacles.) *The 4 the Merrier - Have a single game of Lyra's Escape where you collect 4 bubbles. Prizes On March 8, 2019, the prize shop was activated and Neopians were able to redeem the points accumulated by completing the achievements from throughout the story. The official closing date is August 31st, 2019. The maximum number of points was 2,110 for completing all achievements and the minimum was 10 for completing just the "Join the Journey" achievement. Prize Lists Category:Plot